Madanapalle is the birthplace of Jiddu Krishnamurti (JK). He was born on 11 May 1895 in Madanapalle, a small town in Chittoor district of Rayalaseema in Andhra Pradesh of southern India. JK went on to become a leading philosopher, writer, speaker and thinker of 20th century. He was predicted by his adopted mother Annie Besant, the founder of Theosophical Society, as he world teacher. But Krishnamurti refused to accept that prediction and went to speak about life in the East and the West. Today, the house he was born serves as the study centre for the residents of Madanapalle, and visitors. Here one can learn about what Jiddu Krishnamurti’s philosophy is about.
Krishnamurti Foundation India established the J. Krishnamurti Study Centre in the central part of the town in a house where JK was born. P. Thyagamurthy Sarma, in the featured photo of this article on the right, is the in-charge of the study centre. Sarma said that this house was not owned by Jiddu Krishnamurti’s parents, they rented it out. But the Rishi Valley School in Madanapalle bought this house, and turned it to a study centre. At this study centre, one can familiarize with Krishnamurti’s teachings presented in the form of books, audios and videos.
One of the top 12 things to do in Madanapalle is to visit Jiddu Krishnamurti’s study centre, where you can acquaint yourself with a philosophy and a personality. Thyagamurthy Sarma is an authority on the snippets of JK’s life, and he can share lot of information about the house and what the study centre does.
STUDY CENTRE TIMINGS: Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays: 5:00 PM to 7:30 PM and on Sundays: 10:00 AM to 1.00 PM.
Jiddu Krishnamurti (11 May 1895 – 17 February 1986) was an Indian philosopher, speaker and writer. He was groomed by Annie Besant to be the new world teacher but later he rejected that idea and established himself as an independent thinker, and philosopher. He emphasized on psychological revolution, the nature of mind, meditation, inquiry, and called for a revolution in the psyche of human beings. How can one bring revolution? He noted that revolution cannot be brought about by any external entity such as religious, or political, or social. He expressed that he had no allegiance to any nationality, caste, religion, or philosophy, and spent the rest of his life travelling the world, speaking to large and small groups, as well as individuals.
Date of birth: Matter of Dispute
Mary Lutyens determined, Jiddu Krishnamurti’s date of birth on 12 May 1895 but Christine Williams pointed out the unreliability of birth registrations at that time. His date of birth is predicted to be in the range of 4 May 1895 to 25 May 1896. One thing was sure he was born in Madanapalle in a Telugu-speaking Brahmin family to Jiddu Narayaniah and Sanjeevamma. One of the parents died when JK was ten years old. Jiddu Narayaniah worked as a lower-level government employee of the British colonial administration of Madras Presidency.
Jiddu Krishnamurti’s parents had eleven children but out of eleven only six survived childhood. JK also lived in Cuddapah when his father was posted in Cuddapah (now, Kadapa). Jiddu Narayaniah retired in 1907 and sought work at the headquarters of the Theosophical Society at Adyar in Madras (Chennai). He was employed as clerk in the society’s office, and were given a cottage on the premises. And, here Charles Webster Leadbeater saw Jiddu Krishnamurti would be the spiritual teacher of the world. He was eventually adopted by Annie Besant, the co-founder of Theosophical Society. The rest is history: he broke away from Theosophical Society, from Annie Besant but emerged as prolific thinker, talkers, and philosopher of 20th century.
Jiddu Krishnamurti died on 17 February 1986 in the USA but his legacy survives in Madanapalle and beyond.
One of the top 12 things to do in Madanapalle is to visit Jiddu Krishnamurti’s birthplace, which is also a study centre now.
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